Resilient wheel.



F. s. Mummy RESILIIENI WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25. |917,

1,277, 330. PatentQdAug. 27, 19181 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. l. MCNULTY.

RESLIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 25. I9I1.

Patented Aug. 27, l9l8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

enr-ren srnfrns PATENT onirica.;

l FRANK J. MCNUL'IY, OF LOWELL, .AIRIZONIQMl RESILIENT Specicationvof Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1918- Appncanon inea october 25, 1917. serial No. ies/iso.V

To all 'whom #may concern Y Be it known that I, FRANK J. MCNULTY, a citizen of the United States, .residing at Lowell,in the countyof Cochise and State of Arizona, have invented ,certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels;

'time overcomes all of thedisadvantages incidentto the use of pneumatic tires, such as punctures, blow-outa, and the high cost ofy maintenance of the same. l

The invention also aims at the provision of a resilient structure embodying relatively few parts to ywhich access may be readily gained for the renewal ofpartsk when worn; tlieremoval ofthe outer rim and the tread to renew the latter, and to provide a structure 'which requires =no yadjustment and which at the Asame time is capable of responding to varying loads within the limits of the strength of the wheel.

IV ith these and lfurther objects in view, as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in ,part be stated, the vinvention comprises certain novel constructions, combina-1 tions and arrangements of parts as subsequentlv specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings;-

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a resilient wheel constructed Vaccording to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse section taken on the plane indicated by line 2.-2 of Fig. 1 through the outer portion of the wheel, showing the parts assembled.

Fig. 3 is a detail, perspective view, enlarged, of one of the guides employed.

Fig. 4 is a detail, perspective view, en larged, of one of the slide blocks employed.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.'3 disclosing a modified constructionof the guideand a modified view of slide block for the same.

A Fig. 6 is a like view disclosing-a further modification inthe structurel. of the .guide end 'blocksz Y j Fig. 7 is a like view showing a stillfurther modified form ofthe guide and slide' block.l .Y .Y .n V Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, enlargedside view offa pair ofthe sliding blocks and the adjacentguides therefor, the view showing p ameans lfor compressing the blocks together. F ig, 9`is an outer edge view of the same, the outer rim` being removed. Y

Referring to ,the drawings, the invention is rillustrated asv applied to a wheely body of ordinary construction, and wherein A designates a hub having radiatingspokes B upon the ends of which is supported a felly C.

Mounted upon the felly C is an inner rim 10, which preferably has an annular under! cut rib y11 on itsinner face adapted to seat upon the, fellyCV and retained detachably thereon by clamping `rings 12 secured by` bolts 13 or the like to lthe opposite sides ofk the felly C, asvshown in Fig. 2. The rings 12 yhave attheir outer, marginaledgesffinturned annular flanges or beads which interlockv with'the annular bead 11 of the inner rim 10. .f y Fixed upon the inner rim of guides 14 which, as shown in Fig.v 3, may

comprise castings of substantially inverted V-shape, provided with attachinglips 15 at opposite ends adapted to rest upon the outery peripheral surface of the rim 10 and 'conforming to the curvature thereof. The guides are secured to the rim110 by rivets 15j, or the like, which pass radially through the ends` of the guides 'andthro'ugh the rim 10 and its bead 11, the opposite endsof the rivets 16 being headedand counter-sunk in the faces of the guides and the rim. In the form shown in Fig. 8, the guides 14 have longitudinally-extending dove-tail tongues 17, which are preferably interrupted at thek apex or highest point of each guide. Slide blocks 18,.such` as shown in detail inFig. 4, aref mounted to slide on ythe opposite sides of the guides 14 and have dove-tail grooves` 19 in their inner-faces to receive the tongues` 17 therein for interlocking the blocks to the guides. The blocks 18 are of less length than the inclined faces of the `guides 14 and are adapted to move longitudinally over the inclined faces to a limited extent. As shown in Fig. 1,1l the guides 14 are placed upon the l0 is a plurality rim inend to end abutting relation, and

- the blocks 18 are arranged in pairs on the adjacent faces of the guides 14 which cone verge inwardly toward the adjacent abutting ends of the guides.

Each pair of blocks 18 is provided with means yieldingly urging the blocks apart to ride upon and outwardly over the in.- clined faces of theV guides 14. One'form of means is disclosed in the drawings, wherein a bumper block 2() is employed which is formed of rubber, or the like, reinforced by a pair of semi-elliptic springs 36 embedded in the bumper blocks and extending transversely to the longitudinally axis of the slide blocks 18, and having their bowed portions facingvtherblocks 18. The resilient blocks 20 are further strengthened by the provision of a perforated plate 37 which is also embedded in the block between the springs 36, the plate being substantially of a widthv and height equal to the Ycross sectional area of the block 20. The adjacent ends of the blocks 18 areV provided with one or more registering apertures 21 forming a socket or sockets adapted to receive therein the opposite ends of compression'springs 22, which pass through registering Aapertures formed in tlie'resilient blocks 20, and serve as auxiliary means thereto for holding the blocks 18 of each pair apart. The reinforcing plates 37 aresuitably apertured for the passage of the springs 22 tlierethrough,-thesprings ex tending longitudinally through the bumper block 2O and projecting beyond the ends thereof for engagement in the seats or recesses 21. Preferably, resilient disks 23 and superposed fiber disks 24`are placed in the inner ends of each socket 21 toqreceive the adjacent ends of the springs 22 thereagainst.

It is, of course, understood that the blocks 18 maybe provided with one or any number of sockets dependent uponthe load to be carried and the size of the wheel, and that a corresponding number of yielding separating (Ineans for the blocks 18 may be provi e `These guides and blocks maybe made irl various forms, and as shown'inFig. 5, the

guide 14a has fiat, inclined faces with lateral,

ymarginal, upstanding guide flanges-'17a receiving therebetween the slide blocks 18 which have a correspondingly formed fiat base or inner face.

In Fig. ko, a furthery modification is disclosed wherein the guide 14b has longitudinally concaved faces at opposite ends which are inclined inwardly toward the ends of the guide and which havey the lateral, marginal flanges 17" outstanding therefrom and conforming tothe curvature thereof. The slide blocks 18b in this instance have bases conforming to the curvature of the inclined faces of the guide 14".

A still further modification is disclosed hub of the wlieeltoward the 4opposite ends Eof the guide.

rl"lie slide blocks 18 are adapted to carry an outer rim 25, which, as shown, may be in the form of an annular band of a width equal substantially to that of the inner rim 10. The outer faces of the blocks 18 are curved longitudinally to conform tothe inner periphery of the outerrim 25 and are adapted to slide thereagainst when sufhcient pressure is brought on the outer rim 25 opposite the blocks. The rim 25 carries a tread portion which is preferably made up of a number of wooden segments or blocks 26 seated upon the outer periphery of the rim solid rubber strip. Nails 28, or the like, may

be secured through the tread 27' and into the wooden blocks 26 for uniting the parts into a homogeneous tread structure.

The tread structure is retained upon the outer rim 25, and the latter is held within the general plane of the wheel, by clencher plates 29 of annular form secured 'by bolts 30, or the like, to the opposite edges of the outer rim 25 and extending beyond lthe inner and outer surfaces of the rim. The inner marginalredges of the clencher plates 29 terminate substantially flush with the inner surface of the inner rim 10, and the outer marginal edges of the plates 29 terminate substantially flush with the peripheral row of wooden blocks 26. The inner opposite faces of the plates 29, outwardly of the rim have serrations or teeth 31 extending annularly upon the plates 29 and adapted for biting engagement in the opposite edge portions of the blocks 26 to firmly hold the latter to the outer rim 25.

For the purpose of facilitating the removal of the outer rim 25 from the blocks 18, afterone or both of tlie clencher plates 29 have been removed, the blocks 18 arc provided, in one or both sides, with tapped openings 32 for the reception of machine screws 33, shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The screws 33 have unthreaded bearing portions immediately adjacent tlieirlieads for the reception of the correspondingly apertured ends of oppositely threaded rods 34 of a turn-buckle which may bc applied to each pair of blocks 18. The sleeve 35 of the turnbuckle is, adapted to connect the rods 34 and the latter are preferably offset to space the sleeve 35 laterally from the adjacent 4resilient block 20. The turn-buckle'is adapted to be manipulated for drawing a pair of the blocks 18 together and ycompressing the block 20 and the adjacent springs 22 to thus reduce the diameter of the tread surfaces of the blocks 18 and admit yof the sliding of the outer rim 25 with its-parts into and out of the plane of the wheel. The turn-buckles are temporarily used during the assembling and the separation of the parts of the wheel, and it is readily seen that access may be easily had to any desired pair of the blocks and to the parts tending to separate the same without disturbing the remaining blocks of the wheel. The parts of the wheel may be formed of any suitable material, but preferably the slide blocks 18 are formed of fiber to prevent undue wear incident to the frictional contact of the blocks with the outer rim 25 and the guides 14.

It is, of course, understood that the details of design and substitution Lof, parts-v may be varied without departing from the spirit of this inventiony in order to meet various conditions found in the manufacture and use of the wheel, all of these changes being contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of an inner rim, an outer rim, blocks arranged between the rims and slidably engaging with one of them, guides carried by.

the other rim having inclined faces engaging the blocks to move the same in pairsV toward each other when the rims are compressed, and means for yieldingly separating the blocks of each pair.

Q. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, inclined guides arranged on one of the rims with the bearing surfaces thereof converging toward each other and toward the adjacent face of the rim, p'airs of inclined blocks mounted on the guides and adapted to bear against the other rim, and resilient means arranged between each pair of blocks to yieldingly holdY the same in separated position and at the upper portions of the guides.

3. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, a plurality of guides arranged peripherally upon one of the rims and having inclined faces converging toward the adjacent face of the other rim, a plurality of blocks having inclined bases seating on the guides and having curved outer faces engaging the adjacent peripheral surface of said other rim, cushioning means arranged between each pair of blocks to urge the latter upwardly on the inclined faces of the guides and against said other rim, and means for rethe tread structure to retain it to the outer rim and extending inwardly at the opposite sides'of the inner rim to hold the outer rim Vto the blocks.

5. In a resilient wheel, the combination of inner and outer rim,`a peripheral row of guides mounted on one of the rims and having alternately inclined bearing faces, pairs of blocks seated on said inclined faces Y and bearing at their outersides against the other rim, cushioning blocks arranged between theV pairs of sliding blocks to hold the latter in spaced relation and against the l other rim, and auxiliary springs'arranged between the blocks of each pair to augment the cushioning blocks and strengthen the latter apart, and means for retaining theV outer rim from lateral displacement from the blocks.

7. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, a plurality of guides secured in end to end abutting relation upon the peripheral surface of the inner rim, a block mounted upon the outer face of each guide and adapted to slide longitudinally thereon, the outer faces of said guides being l inclined to move the blocks outwardly when slid on the guides, said blocks bearing at their outer faces against the outer rim to retain the latter concentric about the inner rim, cushioning means arranged between the adjacent ends of each pair of blocks to urge the latter outwardlyV from the inner rim, and detachable means carried by one of the rims for holding the outer rim from lateral displacement'from the blocks. s

8. In a resilient wheel, the combination, of inner and outer rims, inclined guides mounted upon one of the rims, blocks slidably mounted on the guides and engaging the other rim, cushioning means engaging the blocks to urge the latter outwardly upon the guides and against lsaid other rim, and means for retaining the -blocks and the outer rim from lateral displacement with'respect to the innerrim. f l

9. In -a resilient Wheel, the combination of inner and outer rims, movalolek members carried -in pairsfloy one rimfand .engaging 1'0 the' other rim, and `a ycushion element engaging between each pair of lsaid members to u rge the latter apart and toward said other rim.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J, MCNULTY.

Witnesses:

O. N. ALVIN, L. J. OLIVER.

Copienoffth'is patentmay be obtainedifor've cents each, by addressing the ,Commissioner of atcnts, 'l Washington, D. C. 

